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Gannett signs AI licensing deal with Microsoft ahead of its Publisher Content Marketplace

Gannett said it will take part in Microsoft's upcoming Publisher Content Marketplace, a pay-per-use system for AI content. Microsoft is piloting it with a select group of US publishers. Terms were not disclosed.

MCLEAN, Va., October 30, 2025 - Gannett Co., Inc. announced a new AI licensing agreement with Microsoft, under which it will take part in Microsoft's upcoming Publisher Content Marketplace. The company disclosed the deal with its third-quarter 2025 results. Financial terms were not disclosed.1

Terms of the deal

On the earnings call, chief executive Michael Reed said Gannett was excited to announce its newest AI licensing agreement, partnering with Microsoft on the launch of the marketplace. Kristin Roberts, president of Gannett Media, said Microsoft is focused on building a scalable and equitable solution that ensures publishers are fairly compensated for the value of their premium content.1

She said Microsoft is piloting the marketplace with a select group of US publishing partners to learn and to shape the tools, policies and pricing models that will define it.1 Digiday reported that the marketplace is a two-sided, pay-per-use market in which Microsoft's Copilot is the first buyer.2 Gannett also noted that its Perplexity deal had fully launched on October 8.1

Background

Gannett reported third-quarter revenue of $560.8 million, down 8.4% from the prior year, and said it had pushed total debt below $1.0 billion.1 People Inc. confirmed a Microsoft deal days later, and the Associated Press followed, Digiday reported.2 In February 2026 the marketplace broadened to more publishers, covered in a separate entry on this tracker.

What it means for data sellers

The Microsoft marketplace points toward an a la carte model, where each use of content is paid for. People Inc.'s executive described it as a contrast with the lump-sum arrangement the company has with OpenAI.2 For sellers, this means a more granular relationship with the buyer and a payment that depends on volume.

Sellers should check how the marketplace measures use, how prices are set and whether the buyer can resell or reuse content. A marketplace can spread a seller's data across many buyers, so rights and reporting matter.

This entry is a news summary. SellYourAIData was not involved in the deal.

How the deal came together

  1. Gannett disclosed it with earnings. On October 30, 2025 Gannett announced the agreement alongside its third-quarter results.
  2. Microsoft is piloting the marketplace. Gannett's media president said Microsoft is piloting it with a select group of US publishers.
  3. The aim is shared tools and pricing. Roberts said the pilot is meant to shape the tools, policies and pricing models.
  4. Terms were not disclosed. No price was given in the results announced.

Takeaways for companies with data

  • A marketplace pays per use, which differs from a lump-sum license.
  • Early participants help set the pricing model.
  • Listed companies can announce deals on earnings calls.

Sources

Every numbered reference above points to an entry here. Figures come from these pages as of the date shown at the top of the article. Where a source reports a number it got from unnamed people, the text says so.

  1. Gannett reports third quarter results, announces Microsoft AI licensing deal (PPC Land, November 2025)
  2. People Inc. strikes Microsoft AI licensing deal as Google's AI Overviews hit programmatic ad revenue (Digiday, November 2025)

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About the AI Data Deal Tracker

SellYourAIData tracks publicly reported sales and licenses of data to AI companies, with the price, terms and sources for each. Entries are checked against public reporting and updated as deals change. SellYourAIData was not involved in this deal. To ask what your company's data could sell for, get a free valuation. To report a deal, contact us.